Thursday, February 19, 2009

Tuesday, February 17, 2009





In Guatemala, they sing happy birthday in Spanish just as we´ve heard it since we were little. But they add something on to the end. Kinda like how we always added on ´¨How old are? How old are you? How oooold are you? How old are?¨ They say, ¨Ya queremos pastel, ya queremos pastel. Aunque sea un pedacito, pero queremos pastel.¨ Pretty cute, huh? Love you, bro.

Happy Birthday, Pinguino!

This blog is dedicated to my brother, the roughest but sweetest boy I know. Not to mention probably the guy that has the best style. Even better than Perla and I, because you have the dough to make things happen. We all wish that we could be with you for your birthday. I even tried calling you twice today but the call didn´t even go through. Know that we love you and are always thinking of you, birthday or unbirthday. Te queremos muchisimo.

The following are things that I hope make you smile:
1) I´ve been singing the ABCs song all this week and will continue the following week because I am teaching basic level English.
2) The principal called in about 10 boys into his office for throwing rocks at a girl. These are high schoolers.
3) The Municipality had not picked up garbage for over two weeks because our mayor is corrupt and God knows what he is doing with the money. The people are pissed as a result, there was a underground movement to take all the garbage and leave it on the steps of the Muni. Truckloads. The cops tried to stop the people and they got trash hurled at them.
4) Bebes, my dog, had brown crap all over his face and I realized it right as I was about to kiss him.
5) I love you and miss you.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009


Yesterday I was a little kid again. I came home from going to visit a teacher´s brother that got hit badly by a motorcycle. He was at the National Hospital which isn´t too too far from where I live. I must say, visiting someone when they are suffering is bad enough with someone you actually know and in English, but its ackward as hell in Spanish and with someone you don´t know. Nevertheless, I think the family was very happy that we (me and Seño Emilsa) showed up. She went to pray and I tagged along. I think I may eventually turn into the O but I have a long way to go. I came home from the hospital and found Cristian and his best friend, Carola, making a piñata. I was tired. I could have easily just gone to bed but why would you pass up making a piñata. We did that though we aren´t done. We still have ways to go. Doña Raquel thought it would be cool to take an old piñata frame and make a new one, stuff the thing with candy, invite all her friends over and whack it open. Good idea. After the piñata, Cristian, Carola and I decided we were going to ride bikes. The problem was that we only had one bike. So we would take turns while the other two ran behind. But then a former student of mine showed up and he started riding with us and giving Cristian and Carola rides. We ended up riding for about an hour up and down the block. We then got to the cancha and started sticking bottles in the tires so that they´d make motorcycle sounds. It was so much fun. I don´t know how to describe it aside from giving an example. A few weeks back, I took one of the last buses home. They are either super packed or empty. I don´t know if there is anyway of knowing. Anyway, so the ayudantes for that day where two teens, maybe 18 years old or so. All the people were packed so damn tightly into the bus. I was almost sitting on the driver´s lap. People were hanging outside the bus door. The ayudantes were hanging out the door with one foot inside and the other leg dangling out. The music was blarring, some ranchera love song. It must have been these kids´ jam because they started shaking their heads, jumping up and down, grinning so wide and singing along. They looked so happy. It was hilarious. It was so unlike what I´ve seen here. People don´t do that in public. That´s how I felt riding bikes yesterday. Out of my element, free and totally happy.

Monday, February 9, 2009

This morning I walked from my house to Las Vegas, where I take a micro to go to the town where one of my schools is located. The walk takes about 20 minutes. So I left my house at 6:30 so I could be at Las Vegas at a reasonable time to take the micro. People were looking at me funny but I wasn´t paying much attention to them. I was focused on the fog that was letting way for the sun past the hills. And the great classical music that started playing on my Ipod. Classical music isn´t for rich people. I don´t know why some people say that. That music brings peace to your mind and soul; rich or poor, I think everyone can appreciate that. Meanwhile, classes go up and down. Some go amazingly smooth and others I feel some students are messing around so much that it´s impossible that they actually go anything from the class and in turn made it so that others couldn´t learn anything either. But it could just be that constant self-criticism. I´m trying to look at things as positive as I can. So with that said, I´m going to list a few good things that have happened in the past few days.
-Cristian and I went on a walk to the other end of my town
-I slept so warm last night thanks to the fire and blanket I got
-There´s this little girl in primero that gives the best morning greetings
-I´m going to try to get on the last bus going back into town
-I had a Sanguchito today
-I had a good text session with a stranger last night
-I sent Phillip a bday package
-Cristian´s extremely large cat, Muñeco finally showed up after being gone for a month
-I made Pad Thai last night
-I might have a date for Valentine´s Day


Saturday, February 7, 2009

Bird and Bebes glamour shots






Do I look like O-town in that first picture or what? It´s them cheeks! Cristian put the hat Perla sent me on Bebes. Straight gangsta dog. I think he´s getting bigger and fiestier. I didn´t think that was possible. He´s starting to chew on Clifford´s ears and he tried to bite the gas man. Damn Bebes. No respect, no respect. Today I spent two hours with a friend teaching her how to talk to her husband in the states. They invited me to play soccer but they just filled me up with Pollo Campero so I don´t want to unleash all that on the fake grass cancha. I might go on a shopping spree tomorrow. Love you guys. Sorry for the randomness. LOVE YOU!!!!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Ruff stuff

I´m trying hard to type with an ice cream cone tucked between my index finger and thumb. So if there are some errors, sorry. Ice cream is more important than grammar. Anywho, today was a rough day. It started out excellent with all 3 Primero classes. I was amazed by how well it went. And then ended horribly. Wel not too horrible but at one point I kept hearing loud conversation when I was trying to talk but saw no one speaking. I think I was going crazy maybe. I had classes nonstop today which the normal teachers here don´t have so yes, I´m hella tired. Thing is it will probably be like this for about 2 more weeks when the Ministry of Education decides to send the missing teachers. Sigh. Meanwhile, I´m still sick. It almost went away but now I have uncontrollable coughing. Last night I woke up Cristian with my couging. He was also woken up by a supposed ghost that was haunting the house. That boy is full of those stories--murders, accidents, ghosts, spousal betrayal. Anywho, a lady died yesterday or the day before so it´s possible I guess. Also a kid was shot and killed in a nearby town by the neighborhood watch. I don´t know the whole story but supposedly they stopped him because he was out too late and he didn´t like that they were searching his car, and one thing led to another and he was killed. Some of my students knew him so they were sad today. If I were them, I wouldn´t have gone to school. The weather´s been pretty weird the past two days. Crazy strong winds. So there are some tumulos (speedbumps) but let me tell you, the love life is fabulous. I´m getting so many compliments and saludos sent to me. My goodness. Pretty hilarious. Definitely helps the ego. Miss you guys.