Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Before I came on this trip I would wonder why people who were on similar trips didn't blog more. But since I've been here I'm starting to understand. Because when you're here, like anywhere else, moments turn to hours, hours turn into days, and days into life. And suddenly something that seemed noteworthy is now just life, and it's not something as interesting any more. Or it is, but life's still going and you don't just stop to record it. You just keep living. Day in and day out. Like you do when you're at home, or school or wherever. It's life, every little moment of it. All the little moments squish together to make the whole, and sometimes it's hard to pick apart the various pieces. So that's my excuse for not blogging a ton. That being said, I have another list of things I've learned recently for you:
61) Unlike Magdalena, in Antigua you can probably get away with not greeting every person you meet. If you're, unsure, however, you can still let out a buenos dias and be just fine.
62) Any noise made to the Lord is a joyful noise. Thus, church is loud!
63) You can celebrate just about anything with fireworks and firecrackers. But the favorite is birthdays.
64) Birthdays can, apparently, be celebrated in the above mentioned way at any time of the night. Any time.
65) It's not a good firework celebration unless the car alarms get set off by it.
66) I like spicy chocolate. Like dark chocolate with chili powder baked in. Mmm.
67) Guatemalans tend to favor spoons over other utensils.
68) Guatemalans don't really run. Ever. So when my roommate and I run later than our normal six a.m. we tend to make somewhat of a spectacale. Though I'm sure by now they're used to all the things us crazy gringos do.
69) Antigua was established around 1500, and looks much the same as it did then.
70) I like egg plant. Who knew?
71) The "there's always room for one more" rule applies to buses, cars, van, and yes, even mopeds. Sometimes especially mopeds.
72) Thinking about life after graduation is terrifying. But in a really exciting way. Can't believe how quickly that's becoming a reality.
73) I'm not allergic to mangoes like I once thought. Or if I am, I'm combatting it with eating more mangoes.
74) Carbs are apparently an option for breakfast in our house.
75) If served to me I would eat fried plantains and guacamole every day.
76) I really miss dairy products.
76) Sometimes there is really only room for one more (see #71), but they will still pack in about 20 more. (Check out this post on riding the bus for more on that!)
77) Riding the bus is awkward. And uncomfortable. Personal space doesn't exist on the bus. But it's a part of life, very much necessary for many Guatemalans.
78) To a non-native English speaker, the 8 and H sounds are very similar. My kindergarteners in Magdalena say them both the same, and I'm not entirely sure they realize there's a difference.
79) Black sand is HOT! (They weren't kidding when they warned us!)
80) The ocean is far more powerful than I ever imagined.
81) I kind of love bartering. I don't always walk away with the best end of the deal, but at least I had some say in the final price of whatever I'm buying. Bartering is expected in many, but not all, places around here.
82) It's not actually grammatically correct to say "can I have" ("puedo tener") in Spanish. Now that I've learned this, I've been trying to not say it, but it's really hard! We use it all the time in English. Now every time I go to ask for something I get caught up on my words.
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