Anna's study break...

I'm taking this opportunity to have a break from studying. Just when I think that I'm gaining some ground I get slammed with another three/four pages of verbs to memorize. Those of you who have traveled in a country where you do not speak the language can relate to what I am experiencing these days. There is a great isolation from people that occurs. Each meal we eat with our host family I can probably count on my fingers the number of words I say. I've learned a few food words, so I can point to the “sopa” and the “pepino” and the “leche”. I can understand a good amount of what is being talked about if they are speaking more slowly, but can't contribute much yet. I threw that “yet” in there with the highest hopes that my experience will improve.

Most likely the language highlight for me came on Friday night... we were sitting the central park of Antigua and Nick was on the cellphone. We'd met a lady a couple days earlier as she tried to sell us some necklaces. Angelica came up and sat down next to me to chat, apparently, and I was freaked out at first, knowing that my lifeline, Nick, was busy on the phone and couldn't help me. We “talked” for about 10 minutes and Angelica gave me words I needed and corrected my mistakes, and laughed with me, and when Nick got off the phone I rejoiced to be able to fill him in with all I'd learned while speaking Spanish with my new friend. It was the smallest of victories, but I'm hanging on to it.

Antigua is such a beautiful city, but really difficult to capture in photos. Honest-to-goodness cobblestone roads are beautiful to look at and treacherous to walk on. The buildings appear run-down at first glance, but then I am reminded that this city was around and many of the buildings and churches built in the 1600s. I have been amazed time and again to walk in through an unassuming doorway into a restaurant or coffee shop that extends deep into the block and includes outdoor gardens and patios. Our home stay is included in that model, so watch for a video tour of where we're living.  We're trying to get it uploaded, but are not successful yet.

This week we'll continue to enjoy the touristy town of Antigua, and I'll finish up language study. We hope to do a bit of volunteering at a hospital just a couple of blocks from our place which Nick checked out last week. Saturday is Nick's birthday, and we're celebrating by taking an early morning trip to Guatemala City, and then catching a 7am bus to Huehuetenango, a 4 hour journey! We'll be staying at a Bible institute there for the following 5 weeks and will update more as to our activities when we get that ironed out.