reminiscing...

When I think back to my time in Guatemala there are so many things that come to mind.

The family that we stayed with in Patzicia was amazing! I believe that they went above and beyond what they were asked to do by the school. We were always just hanging out together, watching movies, making chocobananos (our addiction there), and playing random games all the time.

I think that we had a little bit different experience than most of the volunteers did because there was a hurricane that came through while we were down there, meaning that school was cancelled for a week, and then the next week was their summer break. I have never seen that much rain in my life! Our mother there did not even want us going outside for those 2 days of intense rain. We were not able to go to the school for two weeks, which was both good and bad I guess? This gave us the opportunity to help hand out food and clothing to those families that had lost their home in the storm. It was amazing to experience this and see how happy people can still be when they truly have lost everything. We donated some food to the church food drive as well.

We definitely had some adventures when we were there, and were able to do a little bit of traveling. Went to Ixamche which are the ruins close to Patzi and they were sweet! We saw 2 other people there the entire time and were able to get some cool pictures. We also went to lake Atlitan one of the first weekends we were there. That place was beautiful! it was a pretty large lake and we took a boat out to the middle island and did a little bit of shopping. Another highlight was when we hiked volcan pacaya! It was not a very easy hike, and we were definitely sweaty when we reached the top. but when we got there it was just getting dark and so we could see the lava! We roasted marshmallows on it, which was so cool, because how many people can say that they have done that?? Let's see what else, we did a day trip into the city to visit the lds temple there. The last weekend in Guate we finally made it to the beach! It was called Monterrico, a black sand beach and it was so chill there.

We had a lot of fun at the school too. I worked with the older kids which is 4-9 grade. I wish that I would have had more time down there to get to know more of them! We played a lot of games, because that is pretty much the only way that they will pay attention to what you are trying to teach them. We loved playing soccer too, but it was always an argument between that and basketball!

I would go back in a heartbeat if I was given the opportunity. It was a great experience and I recommend it to anyone that is considereing it!

Hola

One more week down here and on Saturday I missed Abbey's baptism. I really wish that I would have been there to see Ty baptize her. That must have been really neat for everyone to see. It was so cute when I talked to Abbey yesterday. It made me all teary eyed when she was telling me that she felt all warm inside and that she just knew that she was doing the right thing and that it made her feel so happy when she was baptized. ahh I miss her. and all of you haha.
We finally have school again tomorrow, so it will be good to see all of the kids again and do what we came here to do. I think that it is only this week that we will be teaching and then it will be their break. The last 3 days we are here we might teach again when school starts back up but I odon't know for sure. Nothing is ever very clear here about the future.
Well I have the computer for a bit because everyone else is taking sunday naps right now. I went to church this morning and I loved the fast and testimony meeting. It was neat to hear everyone's testimony and to know that the church is true no matter where you are in the world. I also like singing the songs in Spanish and I am picking up on so much spanish especially church vocabulary, which comes also from reading the libro de mormon. I just finished 1 nephi 12 today during church, it is a slow process.
Well this past week has been fun, and we were able to keep busy. Yesterday we went into the nearby town and did a little bit of shopping. We ate at Mc donalds and I had my first big mac! I don't think that I have ever had one before and it really was not that amazing, haha but the ice cream that I had later was basicaly divine. I have that a lot because big waffle cones are less than a dollar and they taste so good! I bought a shirt and a sweatshirt for 30 Q so that is less than 4 dollars for the both of them. Then we have bought several movies here becuase you can get them for 10 Q which is 1.20$ and they are pretty good quality. I already have some that are still in theaters, It is funny because those stands are everywhere and they are very eager to try and help us find the certain movies that we want in English, so let me know if you guys have any requests, even new releases in the theater that you would like m eto bring back.
We helped some people this last week in the nearby town of Tecpan. There was so many of them that had thier houses damaged by the storm. We went into this school to deliver food and clothes to the families. It was amazing to see how very little they had. They were fighting over bags of beans and so we had to hand them out individually to a specific person to avoid confrentation. We played with the kids in there for a little bit. There is an older couple from texas that we met. They are here for a year and are teaching english at a different school. They were very nice and we will probably go visit them soon. We were in this town with all of the other teachers from the school and it was neat to be able to help poeple after a disaster. I have been used to just donating money or something but it was very different to be the one there to hand the stuff to the actual victims. We also hepled a little bit in shoveling dirt away from where it was carried on the streets.
The day before liz and I had gone to the store and bought a bunch of food to donate it to the people that were collecting it at the church and it went to the people that we saw the next day so that was neat too.
We saw the ruins that are near here the other day. it is called ixemache, and it is where people belive the land of Ishmael to be. It was so peaceful there and had amazingly fresh air there which we difinitely do not have here in town.
Today we ate lunch outside with the family. there was 3 small tables put together with unbrellas over them. we had rice, tough pieces of beef covered in salsa, corn tortillas (we have these at every single meal and I love them! especially with smashed black beans and eggs), guacamole and delicious oranges. The meals are pretty simple but I love them.

I feel as though I am really just starting to get used to the way of living here. You know everything from the toilet paper going in the garbage can, the enless numbers of flies, the crowded chicken buses that we take everywhere, the boxed milk, and the language barrier.
The family here has taken very good care of us and I wish that you could meet them. I will share thier story when I get back about how they started out with 2 suitcases and now they have progressed so far.
Wlel my hands are getting kinda sore from typing and I nap is sounding pretty good. Haha, I just want you to know that everything is going well here and I really am so grateful that I had the chance to come here. I know that I am missing out on a lot of family time and opportunities at home. but I know that this trip is helping me.

One month away from home

Well I have now been in Guatemala for a month and I love it! The last week has been kind of crazy though. Remember the volcano that we hiked? Well it erupted! lava was spewing out of it so that makes the adventure of climbing the volcano just that more exciting. haha. There was no damage here, but even just in Antigua there was tons of ash and falling rocks.

Today was the first sunny day that we have had in a long time! There was basically a hurricane that came through here. I have never seen so much rain in my whole life. The streets had rivers running down them. There was not very much damage here in Patzicia, however, crazy things happened all over Guatemala. We just got back from a nearby town, where a house had fallen into the raging river and stuff. It was so sad and I had no idea that there was that much damage from the insane amounts of rain. I wish that I was able to do something to help those people.

Yesterday we did not go to church because it was cancelled due to damaged roads and stuff. School has also been cancelled for this entire week! We are probably going to travel somewhere so that we are not just sitting here in the house everyday.

I am still discovering new things everyday. We just got back from the cemetary and it was so different from anything that I had ever seen! We went there to see the grave of the first missionary that left from Patzicia.

My spanish is continuing to get better everyday. 4 years of spanish in school really did not teach me much at all. The only way to learn a new language is to be submerged in it. I could be learning faster however the family speaks english and so that is what we use to communicate. I am determined to say the next family prayer in Spanish so I hope that goes well!

Well that is about all that I have time for now, but I will try to write more often!!

no need to worry because we are all doing well :)

Pictures are not working...

I have been trying to upload some pictures but the connection is so darn slow that it does not seem to be possible. I am sorry because I know that pictures are the best.

The school

hola from Patzicia!!

This place is amazing and the family that I am staying with is pretty much the coolest ever. The four of us are all sharing a room with two sets of bunk beds. It is very different than what I am used to but I love it all the same. We have had a lot of fun with the family and we live in a place called Zarahemla.

The Children at the school are just amazing. I am working with the older kids with Liz. The teacher in charge is named Ife and he is from Nigeria. Some of the children are very eager to learn English while others make it obvious they would rather be somewhere else. We have taught them many songs and I like talking to the ones that are better at English.

Every single child here is so darn cute! I want to take one home with me so badly. They will run up to me and gives me hugs or kiss me on the cheek and they always refer to me as miss. And it is even cuter when thye learn my name so that they call out miss Rebecca with thier accents. know that I am going to miss them so much after getting attached to them over the next month and a half.

Liz and I have come up with many games because the only way that we can keep their attention is through games, competitions and interactions.

Over the weekend we had the chance to go to lake Atlitan (I don't know if I spelled that right) but it is also what is guessed to be the Waters of Mormon. So cool! It was a very large lake with a couple of volcanoes on an Island in the middle of it. We Went with two of the kids in the family and we had our own private boat to take out to the island. When we were there we had lunch and did a litttle bit of shopping. It was very hot outside that day... The vendors there were very persistant in trying to get us to buy something. It was basically on the point of being annoying. We cooled off a little by sticking our feet in the water before we got back on the boat and headed to where we came from. The ride home took forever because our little microbus had a hard time making it up and down the extremely steep mountains that we had to cross. It was a very fun day trip though.

The church is only about 3 houses down from us and I would have to say that it is the prettiest place in town. And they have the best flushing toilets that we have found everywhere! Definitely an added bonus. We were welcomed on sunday at church as thier guests from America. Everyone was very nice and it was interesting even though I did not understand much.

All in all I love this place!

The end of Antigua

Well my time in Antigua is coming to a close. We take off tomorrow for Patzicia. I am excited to go and start teaching the children, however, I am also nervous about what the living situations are going to be like. I has been amazing here! yes, the not putting toilet paper inside of the toilet is annoying, however the rest has been realyl great. I love the cobble stone streets, the millions of little shops, and the cute little children around. I have actually become pretty good at haggling down the prices here, I guess I have the gift. I can get things cheap :) My spanish is getting much better and my teacher says that I am the most improved student in a week and a half that she has ever taught! thats right. haha. Anyways the four of us have had a lot of fun and we are all going to be able to stay together in the other town as well, in the same room with bunkbeds.
We did end up going to the volcano the other day! The ride there was interesting and the drivers go so fast and the roads were super bumpy. it was then like a two hour hike to the top. It was raining but it was still so hot. I could not even wear my poncho because it was not an easy hike and I was dying of heat. It was getting dark as we reached the top and we could see the glowing rocks! We roasted marshmallows which was an experience that I don't think that many people get. pretty cool.
That is about all that I can think of write now, and I will write again whenever I get my next chance!!

We are here!!

Well we have reached Guatemala safely. We are now in the beatiful town of Antigua! The plane ride was very long, the red eye flight. it was very nice getting here in the morning though and not late at night. I love the place that we are staying at! there are parts of it that our outside. There is a hammock on the roof that I was able to lay on yesterday and read a book. In the mornings it is so hot and humid and there there is thunderstorms in the afternoon. for those of you who don't know, I absolutly love thunderstorms!
These first two weeks we are going to spanish school in the city. We are staying with a family and the food that we have eaten is very good! I don't know what it is a lot of the time but I still cleat my plate haha My teachers name at the school is named Sara and she reminds me so much of Amanda. She knows very little english which is good because it makes me learn spanish so much faster! she also gives me homework every night that I work on. It is crazy how fast I am picking it up. I knew little bit before I came, but last night I was able to write my entire journal entry in spanish. I was so proud of myself!! haha
Liz and I have spent a lot of time wandering around the city and there are always new sights to see. Everyone is so friendly and say hola whenever we past. yesterday at mc donalds (A very fancy restaurant here with a beatiful garden in the center) several girls walked apst us over and over again just giggling and then they finally said "you are beatiful!" then we said gracias and they were so shocked to find out that we spoke spanish it was so funny! Two other girls named Lindsay and Paige arrived yesterday and they will be with us the rest of the time in Patzicia teaching the kids and stuff. We are all going to have a blast. Well we are going to the travel agency now to see if we can hike up the volcano. Hopefully the clouds clear away so we can see the beautiful valley!!