Monday

Had a busy day.

Spent the first 2 hours as a human guinea pig. Sheny is training 2 new teachers with the hope of choosing one of them. So I got 2 'free' hours of lessons - one of them has a chance - the other none I'm thinking.

Went to the fundacion at 10:30 thinking Esperanza and Estelita would be there. Estelita told me she was going to go to school at night. To my surprise neither was there but Paty was. Paty is studying on Saturday's only and Estelita is going to school during the day as normal. Believe it or not Esperanza is in school. Some missionary group got her hearing aids and she is doing good supposedly in school. I hope that this works out for her. I think she will succeed.

Paty wanted to set up the keyboard in Estelita's room to surprise her. So I was unable to see the surprise on her face when she saw it. She was hoping that I would bring one in July and had no idea that it would be here now. Today Sandra, Estelita and I are going to the school to set up Piano lessons - the plan (as of last night) was for her to do 1 hr of voice and 1 hr of piano per week. Hopefully it will work out. I found keyboards in huehue but much more $ and they looked like they were better ones also. I only bought an entry level keyboard. Oh yeah, the keyboard made it with no problems or damage:)

I asked Paty if she wanted to go to lunch (dumb question) and to my surprise (and everlasting relief) she said yes but chose somewhere besides Pollo Campero. We went to a nice restaurant that we have gone to before (always before my suggestion when I put my foot down) and its also cheaper. Today we are going to the place with the best pizza in town for lunch.

Paty destroyed her cell phone that I had bought her 2 years ago (dropped it in water) so I bought her a new one - 225 Q which with today's exchange rate of 8 Q = 1$ is about $28. Estelita wanted one also (actually she hinted at it last year also) so I asked Sandra and she said yes. Now I know that I hate cell phones but its not the worst thing. I know I'm rationalizing here but Estelita is much more mature than the average 13 (?) year old and they don't come with unlimited texting (thank god). Hopefully I won't come to regret this decision.

and that was my day

ciao

First 2 days

My trip thus far:

Drove to Chicago and for the first time made it to the motel w/o getting lost. Its so damn easy if you get off at the correct exit. Forgot to buy some books for reading and I knew nothing would be open at the airport that early so I ran to Target and bought a couple.

Went to bed early and got up early and was to the airport way early. I was first in line and had to wait for an hour before they opened. Being first in line I got to the terminal exactly 1.5 hours before takeoff. Had I left an hour later I think I would have cut it close.

I thought my plane was nonstop (deb pointed out I was wrong) but it stopped for 45 minutes in Houston and switched planes (same flight though - go figure). 45 minutes is a nice layover as long as your checked bags make it - mine did.

Got to the Posada Belen at noon - had a sandwich and slept for 2 - 3 hours. Read a bit and generally felt very sick. Had the chills, ear ache etc. Couldn't get warm and was worse. The doc gave me antibiotics in case I developed a secondary infection so I began self medicating - not sure if I should have but I now feel a lot better.

Was supposed to leave at 6:30 but the Posada Belen neglected to tell me by email that the bus didn't leave at 6:30 on Sundays so I couldn't leave till 2. It was for the best as I slept for 12 hours.

Went to the market sunday morning - most things closed at 8:30 but I stretched my legs.
As normal for me I was to the bus station 45 minutes before it left with 4 of us - but a comfortable bus ride it was. One stop to use the bathroom and eat for 20 minutes and that was it. It is truly direct.

Got to the school at 7pm and shared some Gallo with my friends.

This morning after breakfast I will go to the Fundacion Salvacion

Its all a matter of perspective

I didn't sleep for shit the night before I left (after all I got up at 2 am), I was sick and I was tired. My plane left at 5:35 am from ORD and I chatted for maybe 10 minutes with the guy next to me and then I tried to sleep. I was unable to. In the seats across the aisle from me there was a family of 3. Their kid (6 or 7) was playing some damn game on the computer w/o it being muted - I was so pissed. Of course it didn't bother the dad who had earphones on. The plane was very quiet except for the kids computer - its not that it was loud, it wasn't. In fact it was quite soft - which made it all the worse I think - you only heard noise maybe 50% of the time. I would just start to doze and I would here it again.
Fast forward to my next flight - I was exhausted and I was really hoping to sleep. This flight had a whole group of teenagers from Seattle who where coming to Guatemala for 2 weeks. They didn't have mp3 players so they talked and they talked and moved around and were having a great time (and they were 100% appropriate in their behavior). Behind me there was a group of college kids also having a great time. Sleep was impossible but I wasn't upset - this was the noise that one should here while traveling - not some annoying brat playing a fucking computer game.

multiple personalities

When I am down here in guate I am somewhat different. I walk everywhere, I visit people, am generally more social. For example in TR I have driven (on more than 1 occasion) to the Sport Bar (2 1/2 blocks in good wether) and here will walk for a mile just to have a cup of coffee. Today I realized the problem is much worse.

personality 3 - the anal traveler
I had to get up at 2 am to get to the airport. ok, I really didn't as I was the first one there and waited for 1 hour to be waited on, but lets suppose I really did need to get there at when I did. I made sure I got up -
1) wake up call set up for 2 from the front desk
2) set my watch alarm
3) set the cell phone alarm
4) set the motel alarm in the room
5) set my travel alarm
6) told Deb that if she was awake between 2 and 4 to call me (thanks hon)
7) had a taxi for 2:30 so if I wasn't up the desk would call me (I was up but they called me to tell me he was there)
8) damn near didn't sleep for more than 30 minutes at a crack so needed no alarms anyway - I mean you gotta be sure - right ?

everything worked but number 1 - suffice it to say I was up and ready to rock & roll at 2:10. Overkill? I think not -

personality 4 - the don't worry about it traveler
So I'm checking in at the desk and the lady tells me I just made it on my passport. It expires on November 11 and I never thought about the fact that there are countries that won't let you in their country if you have less than 6 months on your passport. Now I knew this (didn't realize it about Guatemala) so you would think that someone as anal as me would have checked it out before - I mean if there are countries that want you to have 6 months or more then there might be countries that want you to have 9 months or more.
She said if I had missed the date I would be SOL and they would not let me on the plane. I made it by 6 weeks but that was to close for comfort.
I gotta be more anal:)