Saturday, April 16, 2005
San Juan
Ok....so I spent my last week in the little town of San Juan. So far it has possibly been my best experience so far.
I am living with the director of the school here. His name is Francisco. He and his family are very grateful to my church for all of the work they have done down here....So they are taking out all their pent up hospitality, kind feelings, gratefulness and just plain niceness on me.
I teach English in the mornings at the school. This is great fun (though largely ineffective). I have achieved the status of a celebrity here...With kids yelling my name (Oso...bear) at me from every place in town. I am asked for a kiss by the girls here at least 6 times a day (not an exaggeration). I don't know who taught them to ask for that in English.
Yesterday I went to a tiny town in the back mountains, and visited Francisco's mother and father in law. They are in their eighties. I peppered them with questions about how Guatemala has changed in the last 80 years....But for them it has stayed largely the same. They go and hoe in the fields, and make dresses. They only got electricity 3 years ago, and the first car came into town 5 years ago.
I am living with the director of the school here. His name is Francisco. He and his family are very grateful to my church for all of the work they have done down here....So they are taking out all their pent up hospitality, kind feelings, gratefulness and just plain niceness on me.
I teach English in the mornings at the school. This is great fun (though largely ineffective). I have achieved the status of a celebrity here...With kids yelling my name (Oso...bear) at me from every place in town. I am asked for a kiss by the girls here at least 6 times a day (not an exaggeration). I don't know who taught them to ask for that in English.
Yesterday I went to a tiny town in the back mountains, and visited Francisco's mother and father in law. They are in their eighties. I peppered them with questions about how Guatemala has changed in the last 80 years....But for them it has stayed largely the same. They go and hoe in the fields, and make dresses. They only got electricity 3 years ago, and the first car came into town 5 years ago.
