salsa & more

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hola. i just returned from my first salsa lesson. not bad for a first timer...i'm already doing turns. uno, dos, tres...uno, dos, tres...

update on my living situation: i stayed one night with a family in antigua and they were warm and accomodating but my room was very cold and there was no hot water. since i left the US with some strange virus i thought it best that i find a warm bed to sleep in a place that has a warm shower, so i am now staying in a hostel called "casa amarilllo". so far, so good....warm comfy bed & HOT showers. and an amazing breakfast included in the price! last night i only had one dorm mate, his name is francesco and he is from italia. he doesn't speak english very well so we communicate in spanfrenengalian. i'm always amused by the languages you can create while travelling. tonight there is a third dorm mate whom i haven't met yet...i only saw his bags.

tomorrow i am going to look at an apartment for a room share. i heard from many people (and weather.com) that it is very cold in xela...below freezing. my plan was to study a week here in antigua and then another in xela but after hearing that it is icy & cold, i think i'll just stay here for two weeks. i also learned that there are a lot of cars in xela which creates mucho pollution...after being outside for an hour or so, you are covered in soot. ugh....not my idea of a good time.

my spanish is going pretty well. i'm already able to have simple conversations with people on the street....after another week or two i should be an expert 😉 (okay, maybe not)

hopefully i am able to upload some pics soon. this town is very interesting aesthetically. there are many run down buildings and churches. most of which are ruins, left by earthquakes. antigua is still very colorful and alive with its colonial architecture. there has been a lot of rebuilding in the past and there is currently a lot of construction going on. la merced, the main church, is heart melting. it is very simple but there is something so sweet about its simplicity that it turns my heart to mush.

surrounding the city are three volcanoes. i'm still adjusting to this view...it is very cool to look up and see a big volcanoe ahead. francesco toured one of the volcanoes (pacaya) today....he said that hot lava is visible....very cool. he brought back a piece of the volcano...black & solid, yet very fragile....mishandle it and it will crumble. i plan to do a tour of pacaya on sunday since that will be my first day off from spanish school.

that's all for now. hope you are all well and peaceful.

~~~love~~~~

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Comments

[Raj]

Hey Sue
I cant wait to see the pictures, am glad things are just lining up for you. Are you planning to visit the volcano, god its gotta be a really crazy huh.. Anyways, take care of yourself, and have fun

[Missi]

Hola mi amiga!! :)
Sue, You are soo funny you crack me up! I'm glad you are well, and enjoying your travels. I too think I would stay where it is warm and sunny as opposed to cold and icky!! Have fun with your Salsa and be careful at the volcano!!!!

[TonyD]

Just got the link to your Blog....Wow!!
Sue, I just got the link from Henry. Wow, what a trip planned. Sounds like your doing just fine. Hope the cold / virus is gone. Can't wait to see some pics. Hope the volcano trip went ok today....lottsa pics....I head back out to Shanghai on the 22nd. You take care, be careful and of course have fun.....Talk to you soon. (I hope your ready to do a lot of Sala teaching....ha)..

[Kim]

Hi
Hi Sue, Glad to see your enjoying your trip,can't wait to hear more about it and see pictures.