Rojos! Rojos!

Well it has been an exciting last couple of days. Yesterday was El dia de independencia for Guatemala, wa-hoo! So on Tuesday night we went to an international futbol game-Guatemala vs. Mexico-so it was pretty intense, we rooted for the Rojos or the reds. Lily, one of the volunteers is Mexicana so she wore her Mexican jeresy and the school told her she couldn't wear it because she and the rest of us would get harrassed pretty bad. For $20 we got our transportation there and back plus our ticket. I learned all sorts of malas palabras (bad words) as the guy next to me was pretty umm shall we say passionate about the game, we all enjoyed him, really. At one point all of us girls went to the bathroom, there was music playing and I said to Amanda, "doesn't this just make you want to dance?" and so she started to dance and then literally the whole section started to hoot and holler and exlaim something about American women! So now the inside joke is Amanda are you sure you don't want to dance? It was a great cultural experience and fun to see how Guatemaltecos get into their sport.

Then on Wednesday for class my teacher and I watched the desfila or parade, all FOUR hours of it! All the schools in Antigua have a band and all schools participate. It is very different than the states though: less focus on the formations and more on feeling the spirit of the music. The last "float" was a representation of "rock" music where the jovenes dressed in 50's dress and danced a number to Elvis Presley.

For dinner on Wednesday Lily made us all her favorite Mexican dish because today is actually Mexico's independence day. It was wonderful, plus all the tostados and frijoles you could ever want, and chocolate caliente for dessert with banana bread from our favorite Panadaria (bread store) Dona Luisa.

We have two more weeks here and then we will be in Honduras! On the bucket list of Antigua still to do is: climb Pacaya (a volcano about 2 hours away), visit the coffee farm, investigate some other well know panadarias, and meander through San Fransico's Ruins of a meer $0.75, the prices here boggle my mind!

All the vols are wonderful and we have been having such great conversations. They are aldready my family and I just want to take them home to meet everyone! Here is a small introduction to those here in Guate:

Jacob & Rachel: They are like our mom and dad away from home. They are here with their three boys, Jonah is five, Isaac is three and Ruben is one! They are a bundle of joy and energy and have a adjusted really well to Guate and practice their futbol skills all the time.

Lily: Is from Southern California and is Jonah's Godmother! She is our mexican ganster as she says. She is very faithfilled and LOVES Mother Theresa, as well as Negritos, a chocolate filled hot dog bun, much like a Little Debbie treat in the States.

Tami: A teacher from Southern California as well. Her sister and Lily's brother just got engaged beofre coming. Her and I have had many great conversations about life experience and I feel like we will be life long friends.

Mary Kate: My travel buddy and now roommate here in Guate. She recently graduated from Notre Dame and loves Notre Dame and sports which is quite the understatement. She is our talker of the group and is trying to drop her "gringa" accent which is very thick.

Betsy: Also recent grad from Notre Dame. Loves to read and has been the instigator of most "book discussions", travel trips, and evening events. She has really challenged us in our "bible studies" by asking whatever is on her mind.

Amanda: Is very quiet like myself from University of Illinois. Her and I spend a lot of time studying since we are the least farthest along in our spanish! She is excited to hopefully use her teaching degree at the Farm.

Phil: He is our crazy member, we can always rely on him for a good laugh as well as saying some of the most profound things. Ironically he reminds me much of Jesse and his manurisms. Phil is from Washington state and went to school in Southern Cali as well.

Nils: Recent grad of University of Portland with like three degrees, and originally from Spokane, WA so him and Phil naturally agrue all the time about being from the wrong part of the state. He is a mere 6 feet 4 inches and works as a nice body guard on our late night walks through Antigua.

Hopefully this gives a breif review of teh vols so you kinda know who I am talking about when I mention them. Off to study more espanol. Hope all is well with everyone, thank you for sending me emails and your love I really appreciate it!! Deirdre