Today is Thursday already, which means tomorrow is my last day in Xela. I leave at 7 AM on Saturday morning for a bus to Antigua for two days and then I fly home on Monday morning. This has all gone too fast. I feel as if I´m just getting settled in here, but now I have to leave. And this place has really grown on me, especially the people I´ve met...but I knew that was bound to happen.
Yesterday I started the day at the shelter again. I read with Oliver, or should I say, he read TO ME. He helped me with my pronounciation. Those kids have taught me more than I have been able to teach them. Afterward, Keila and I started to help squeeze oranges for juice with the women in the kitchen. About 30 minutes into it, we decided it was time for the shelter to own an electric juicer., so we ran to the dispensa and bought one. Okay, so maybe that was a very typical American thing to do, but hey, we got those oranges juiced in a third of the time it would have taken us! I think the women kind of liked the juicer too. :)
I also wanted to mention that the shelter coordinator, Ariela, has been wonderful throughout my stay. She´s a very sharp, intelligent and very patient lady and her Spanish is AMAZING. It was great working with her. Everyone a the shelter was great to work with, actually; Keila, Anna, Rebecca, and the kids; Blanca, Oliver, Bryan, Daniel, Antonio, Leslie, Dulce, Willy and Chappito. I will miss them all.
One of the coolest experiences I had was a chance meeting yesterday in El Parque Central. Marlo ran inro one of her fellow poets, who is also a Sociologist, teacher and a great enthusiast of the Mayan culture. WE went for coffee and he read my horoscope according to the Mayan calendar. My sign is K'at:
K'at represents instinct and originality, but also the tangle
of life, the things that trap us. It's a force that connects people or
elements to get things done and a filter that separates the bad from the
good. The seed symbolizes the possibility of new life. At its essence, it
is a fire that consumes, the absence of physical, mental, emotional or
spiritual freedom.
Characteristics: Those born under K'at are sincere leaders and possessors
of a strong inner energy. When they learn to control their emotions, they
can accomplish whatever they set out to do.
That sounds about right to me!
Today I once agaion made a gigantic lunch at the school and it was great. El profesor joined us, as did some new students, most of the teachers and Marlo´s dog (as always!) It was a great success and I ate two human´s worth of pasta, sauce, fresh chapatis and Marlo´s tofu! Outstanding. I don´t go hungry here, that´s for sure.
Afterwards, I took a weaving class in the traditional Central American style, which is known in the U.S. as Backstrap Weaving. (you´ll see why in the photos). I was pretty horrible, but it was thoroughly enjoyable. At least my Spanish lesson went better. Palmenia and I played Scrabble, but we got into a serious discussion about the indigenous peoples of Guatemala, which was a lot more fun than the Scrabble, which I almost beat her anyway. ha ha ha
Tomorrow I´m helping Anna do a presentation at the shelter about Easter in the U.S. I think we´re having the kids make clay bunnies and eggs, etc. Should be fun. We´re also having them make some drawings to put up in La Lavanderia. My last day with those kids. Expecting to cry...
Time for dinner now. I know Señora Catalina is making me black beans, because I asked for them!
Muchos besos!
V
No comments:
Post a Comment