It's been a busy couple of weeks, but we haven't forgotten about you blog readers out there! As I write Christine is taking her first Spanish and I'm preparing to take mine tomorrow.
On Thursday we head off with the group to Monterrico for the Thanksgiving weekend. I promise we'll post a nice long blog (with pictures) when we return from a relaxing weekend at the beach.
Hasta Luego!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Blah, blah, blah...
Here's my new favorite Spanish word: hablaba. Seriously, this is a word, and I laugh almost every time I say it because I just think it sounds so much like blahblah. When you conjugate the word hablar (to talk) in the imperfect past tense you come up with hablaba, hablabas, hablabamos and hablaban.
Just humor me and laugh too...
Just humor me and laugh too...
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Lava Roasted Marshmallows anyone?
Have you ever felt like you would be blown off the side of a volcano. We have! Last Friday 10 of us loaded up in a van with two guides with the ultimate goal of making s'mores over hot lava.
On our way to the volcano.
The guides mentioned that we might want to spend 5 quetzales (about 65 cents) and buy a walking sticks from the local kids. It sounded like a good enough idea, so we all did. Little did we know that it would later save out lives! We started out on a steep, but paved path with horses following us just in case we couldn't make it. The path soon changed to dirt and roots as we entered the forest. The horses continued behind us, with their owners trying hard to convince us to pay to get to the lava. We hiked for a while through the forest enjoying incredible views off the side of the volcano.
Kevin, one of our guides, demonstrated the best (and safest) way to cross that ashen lava dunes. (I was sure he was joking.) We literally ran straight down and back up the "sand dune" like desert. This is where we experienced 70 mph wind. At one point we stopped to count heads and we literally had to jab our sticks into the ground and hold on for dear life, to not blow away and bounce down the side of the volcano. (Mom and Dad, keep in mind that we did live!)This where the real challenge began. The final ascent was steep, completely unstable, sharp lava rock. Add this to the fact that the wind was still blowing 70-80mph and it was getting dark quickly. We hiked, and hiked, and hiked towards a beautiful orange glow and we knew the end was near.
The glow of the lava.
We made it! Tired, excited, a little cut up from the lava rocks, hungry and ready to roast our marshmallows! We (Mindy and Christine) had been to the supermarket earlier in the week to buy marshmallows for our s'mores and the best we could find were shaped like bunny rabbits. Our guides, Chris and Keven, carried dinner which they cooked at the summit of the volcano. Yes, hot curry was really good on a volcano and we really appreciated the heat from the lava, especially since Christine didn't have a jacket and the wind was still blowing. Have you discovered a trend yet?
Christine, John and Mindy hiking in daylight
After our tummy's were full and our bodies were warmed up, the descent began back down the steep, completely unstable, sharp lava rock only this time it was completely pitch black and we relied on the light from our flashlights and headlamps. Mindy didn't have one...so it's now on her Christmas list. Just a quick FYI.
Christine, John and Mindy hiking in daylight
Mindy and Christine on our first hiking adventure
We made our way back through the lava dunes, the forest and the steep cement path. The van was a welcome sight. The four of us in the back (John, Ryan, Christine and Mindy) took turn giving each other backrubs. We reached Antigua at the end of our nine hour adventure, dirty, tired and ready for bed. Christine discovered when she got in the shower that the water had been turned off for the night. She was not very happy. Mindy was so tired that she pulled out her sleeping bag for extra warmth, and fell asleep before ever making it to the shower. In fact, she doesn't even remember laying down.
Breakfast came bright and early Saturday morning at 7:00am...just like every other day. We both went back to bed as soon as we were done eating. Saturday was tranquilo and exactly what we needed before another week of language school. We ended Saturday with Domino's Pizza, Oreos, Coke and Sprite as a little taste of home.
*Most pictures courtesy of John and Ryan. Thanks guys!
Breakfast came bright and early Saturday morning at 7:00am...just like every other day. We both went back to bed as soon as we were done eating. Saturday was tranquilo and exactly what we needed before another week of language school. We ended Saturday with Domino's Pizza, Oreos, Coke and Sprite as a little taste of home.
*Most pictures courtesy of John and Ryan. Thanks guys!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Technology advances
Just a quick note to share how thankful I am for the advances in technology over the last two decades. When my family lived in South Korea in the 80s it was $3.75 a minute for our family in the states to call us. Needless to say we didn't talk all that frequently and it was a huge treat when we did get to. In 2008, I have the wonderful technology of Skype where I can call family and friends for literally pennies a minute keeping me connected to home. I LOVE IT!!! It's been so good to be able to talk to my parents and friends when I have an internet connection. It has definitely helped make the transition easier to life in Latin America.
And while I'm bragging on the advances of technology. I love emails! Wednesday was a rough language day for me, but when I checked my email that afternoon I had so many encouraging emails that totally made my day. Thanks for your love, support, prayers and emails! They can literally change the direction of my day!
And while I'm bragging on the advances of technology. I love emails! Wednesday was a rough language day for me, but when I checked my email that afternoon I had so many encouraging emails that totally made my day. Thanks for your love, support, prayers and emails! They can literally change the direction of my day!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
10 Days and Counting!
We've officially been here 10 days! In some ways it feels like I've been here a lot longer than that. Maybe it's because I've really settled into my routine with my Guatemalan family, and I finally have a consistent schedule again, or maybe it's because I really like the tranquilo Latin American life. Either way, I'm really thankful to be here and for the opportunity to only study Spanish for 3 months. I joke that I've finished my first week of kindergarten. I sound out almost all my words and I can say very simple things like "I like music," "I talk to my parents," "I study much Spanish." I'm slowly able to put more and more words together to form sentences, but it's definitely humbling not being able to communicate as an educated adult! I received at least 400 vocab words in the past week and have been feverishly trying to learn them. As I write, I'm sitting in an internet cafe making flash cards to help me learn!
In class this week I got some of my words confused and I told my teacher that I carried my books in a big blue onion to school. Yup...I meant bag, not onion. No wonder she was looking at me so funny!
On a funny note, I was sitting at an outdoor basketball court with Kelli and Leah the other day and randomly we saw a horse come galloping down the road and around the corner dragging a brach from the tree that it broke free from. About 20 or 30 seconds later a group of men and boys on bicycles and motorcycles came chasing after it. It's not every day you get to see a horse loose on the streets!
In class this week I got some of my words confused and I told my teacher that I carried my books in a big blue onion to school. Yup...I meant bag, not onion. No wonder she was looking at me so funny!
On a funny note, I was sitting at an outdoor basketball court with Kelli and Leah the other day and randomly we saw a horse come galloping down the road and around the corner dragging a brach from the tree that it broke free from. About 20 or 30 seconds later a group of men and boys on bicycles and motorcycles came chasing after it. It's not every day you get to see a horse loose on the streets!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Antigua
Well our entire group has made it safely to Peru. When we arrived on Wednesday night we were all shuttled out to our host families. I had been under the impression that we would be the only person living with our families, but when I got to my “new home” I found out that I would be living with 8 other students. I was a little disappointed at first, especially when I sat down for dinner and everyone was talking to me in English, but it is actually really cool. In my home there are 2 guys and a girl from Belgium, 2 girls from Denmark, 1 girl from Switzerland, 1 girl from the UK, and one from the US. So it is a very international group and 2 of them don’t speak much English so we have been using more Spanish lately. Anyways, please keep my host family (father: Miguel, mother: Amanda, children: Alan, Diego, and Guillermo) in your prayers and that I would be able to develop relationships with them in spite of the boarding house like atmosphere. Also please be praying for the other students that I am living with. We eat all three meals together 6 days per week, so we should have a lot of quality time together.
Tuesday morning our group met at Appe language school for orientation and a tour of Antigua. It is a really beautiful city with colonial architecture and cobble stone streets. There is also a coffee shop on every corner and most with wireless internet. That makes me really happy as I’m sure you can imagine. At the language school we each have a personal tutor that we meet with 4 hours per day. My tutor is so, so wonderful. Her name is Claudia and please be praying for her and that we would be able to have good conversations as I learn Spanish. Yesterday she described herself as an evangelical catholic and we talked a little about the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism. Unfortunately I didn’t understand a lot of what she said but it was a good start.
Today most of our group was looking for coffee shop with wireless and the one that we wondered into just happened to be a Christian church. Our waiter shared his testimony with us and we are excited about helping out with some of their ministries.
Anyways, that’s all for now. I am so excited to be here and I feel like I am already making a lot of progress with Spanish. I love you all and miss you already. (just a little note – I will reply to any personal emails if you want to say hi… babyruthgt@gmail.com)
Bye until next time!
Tuesday morning our group met at Appe language school for orientation and a tour of Antigua. It is a really beautiful city with colonial architecture and cobble stone streets. There is also a coffee shop on every corner and most with wireless internet. That makes me really happy as I’m sure you can imagine. At the language school we each have a personal tutor that we meet with 4 hours per day. My tutor is so, so wonderful. Her name is Claudia and please be praying for her and that we would be able to have good conversations as I learn Spanish. Yesterday she described herself as an evangelical catholic and we talked a little about the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism. Unfortunately I didn’t understand a lot of what she said but it was a good start.
Today most of our group was looking for coffee shop with wireless and the one that we wondered into just happened to be a Christian church. Our waiter shared his testimony with us and we are excited about helping out with some of their ministries.
Anyways, that’s all for now. I am so excited to be here and I feel like I am already making a lot of progress with Spanish. I love you all and miss you already. (just a little note – I will reply to any personal emails if you want to say hi… babyruthgt@gmail.com)
Bye until next time!
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