The weekend

So I realized I havent blogged since wednesday so now that I have almost forgotten what happened, Ill write backwards.

Today we met in the parque central at 8am to go to Momostenango...took a nicer bus than usual that actually fit us (you can see in the new pics what we sometimes ride like in what are called microbuses which the driver and his helper seriously try to cram as many people in as possible). So, that was nice. Then we drove about an hour to these peoples home who make rugs, blankets, jackets, gloves, etc, all from their own sheeps wool. It was pretty neat, and amazing how it works and how long it takes to make things. First they sheer the sheep, then brush out the hair? to make it smoother, then you take a bundle and touch it to this needle which some how magically grabs it and while you spin the wheel, it keeps grabbing it from your hand...so weird, it was like magic because you wouldnt think the fibers would just keep on grabbing eachother so as to make yarn but they do, and you can feel it when it is being pulled out of you hand. We all got to try that, with help. Then they take that yarn and put it on another aparatus to make the blanket or whatever and its crazy too being a wooden contraption. So the children go to school half days and work the other halfs. The bathroom there was interesting, kinda close to kerrville style, but worse because i dont think its ever cleaned out and its settled nicely next to the sheep and cows...aka smells like hell. At least they had toliet paper. I thought it was funny though because you cant flush the toliet paper here cause the pipes cant handle it so every toliet has a trashcan next to it...as did this one...as if the pipes couldnt handle it too, yet, there are not pipes, its a hole in the ground that goes on forever. Anyway, after that we shopped a little at the house for CHRISTMAS PRESENTS and then the family made us a snack, tortilla, guac, salsa and nasty ass cheese which I didnt eat, and tea. We ate in their dining room-kitchen which was interesting. They only had a woodburning stove type thing, more like a huge wok on top of fire and the walls made of dirt. I felt like I was in a museum exhibit more so than somones house. Next we went to the village to the market, not much new here, same market stuff and same horrible smells and tons of people. Stopped at one booth to get some candy, I got toasted coconut balls. They were pretty good. Then back home for lunch and now blogging with a headache at the school and studying and homework after this then dinner then bed then the week with a new teacher.

Saturday we met in the parque central at 7am! We went to hike up Chicabal...to a sacred lake. Well the hike is supposed to last only like 45 minutes but the bus driver wouldnt take us up to the entrance so we hiked an hour up to the entrance first...straight up, here their arent switchbacks to make it easier, they are just straight up and really tiring. On the way a few trucks came by and 4 people got rides to the entrance. Thought about it but decided on more exercise. At this point in the day it was nice out. Finally got to the entrace, peed in an outhouse type thing without light, swang on a wooded swing, then off to the lake...straight up some more. At one point I thought I could see the ocean, but I think it was just another hill then below that fog so I coudlnt tell the difference. So we climbed up a long way and then down again until we got to the lake which by the way Jill and I played follow the leader which was super fun and kinda dangerous cause the ground is iffy, breaks a lot under your feet. It was great. Then as we came upon the lake we heard chanting and shit which ended up being a family doing some religious ceremony (see pics and video)...so that was cool. The lake was a lake, with random fog and people chanting and thats when the rain began. Then off to the lookout place which we climbed 576 stairs to get to! That was tough and it was raining so it was muddy, slippery, wet. But no lookout because we were in a cloud and it was raining...nice! So we went back to meet the bus driver, but no bus driver, so we walked out the entrance and about half way down to the bottom before we met him and he took us back to xela. nothing interesting the rest of the day, just lunch, studied notecards, dinner, movie at school (blood diamond in really bad quality because they tried to fit 3 dvds on one cd so the resolution is horrible) and bed.

And thats my weekend. I guess I need to also talk about the rest of my day friday. so we went to that clinic, which was a 2 rooms attached to a pharmacy (see pics) with a bed and a scale and some posters...so crazy, no way in hell id go there for help. the doc only comes twice a week. then we met with the girls who are running that other program with the local girls about self esteem, sex, life, whatever. They were so shy. The 2 girls running the program had each girl take a camera and take pics of their life to show the rest of the girls and the pics were interesting. They got into groups of 4 to show us what they do for food, religion, the animals, transportation, most of them didnt talk becuase they were too shy but their peer leaders explained the pics and we were supposed to ask questions, which I did, some, but I have limited words and limited questions. I took a pic of one of the activities they did which was they took men and women and said what they thought the social aspects and biological aspects were for each...that was interesting. Check it out in the pics. After that we came home for dinner and nothing else I dont think...went to bed at like 9.

So this week I get a new teacher, which I am excited for. Then this weekend, a free weekend, we may go to Gorginas Las Fuentes (I think thats it), hot springs near or on a volcano and stay saturday night in bungalos for $10 per person per night. Sounds cool. Wanted to go to the beach but the weekend after next we are going so we decided to leave that until then, which will be jills birthday and soooo fun! I cant wait to be on the beach with the heat, bathing suit, water, shorts! Yea! And air! Ok, thats all for now I think. Tomorrow at 6pm the family friend is taking me to get my hair cut...yikes, but her hair is good and gets it done at the same place by the same person and she said i could tell the lady exactly what i wanted, which is a trim and to fix my bangs...scary. wish me luck. tell you later how it goes. love you all and miss you and wish you could visit!