Well it is has a while since my last correspondence and there is lots to mention. I spent my first week in Xela (shay-la) in the Casa Dona Mercedes hostel walking around and getting familiar with the city, and eating often it seemed. The hostel was a very nice mid-range priced hotel only 2 blocks from Parque Central and I would recommend it to any of you when you decide to travel to Guatemala. The park is where all the activities such as banco´s, mercado´s, and people watching take place. Already you can see that I am getting command of my new language, huh.
On Sunday I moved into the home of a local family. They have two lovely teenage daughters and a 10 years old girl. The girls all laugh at my Spanish accent (cannot imagine why though). The accommodations are very good. I am on the 3rd floor of their home with a very large private room and a private bathroom. I arrived at their home at 9 a.m. knowing they were going to church and I wanted to go with them. I made the assumption they would be catholic, not true. So my first experience of attending a religious service in español was in a very vibrant and loud Pentecostal church; I did not understand any other than the clapping.
On Monday I started language classes at ICA, a school established in 1979. There are probably 15 students in the morning and 15 in the evening. We each have an individual instructor 5 hours a day. But on my first day only after only 3 hours I asked if we could go for a walk and get some coffee. That part of school was fun. Each evening I have homework before going to bed but it has not seemed to make a difference yet. The school has various activities through the week each afternoon/evening. I did attend a great documentary on the Club Social de Buena Vista, a famous Cuban salsa band. They are in concert in Xela tonight.
Today is 4 dia en español and it was so much better than yesterday. The total immersion experience is amazing. My instructor speaks very little English and she understands even less so the only way we communicate is in Spanish. Poco poco poco she reminds me. So if I can be quiet long enough then I will be able to hablo español in a few dias o semanas, si?
Yesterday I went with the doctor from the school, a few staff members and a couple of other students to a local school. The doctor talked about good dental hygiene and then we passed out toothbrushes and toothpaste to the niños. It was fun watching them brush their teeth out in the courtyard and all of them gathered around a drainhole where they were spitting. I was able to take some pictures and will soon be posting them. My picture taking has been limited because of the danger foreigners have experienced when taking pictures of the local people.
Please continue to follow my journey and I will attempt to post more often. It is sometimes so difficult sitting here at the school or at an Internet cafe waiting for a connection or after writing an email for it to be sent.
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