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Published: March 11th 2010
The weather is finally changing here in Coban. It’s been pretty nice the last month or so, but there were definitely the occasional gloomy, rainy days. The last few days though, have been so hot that I’m wishing I had a fan in my room. I don’t know that possible because my apartment is usually really cool no matter what time of day. Plus, with the our altitude here, the moment the sun goes down you need a sweater. I can’t exactly afford to buy a fan, so I think I’ll just have to sweat it out for now. Considering the weather I had to put up with when I first got here, the heat is a pleasure. Hopefully now that it’s getting really hot, I will be able to make it to a beautiful beach somewhere soon. I just hope that there is at least one man, one machete and five coconuts waiting for me. If I’m lucky, maybe there’ll even be some rum and umbrella in the coconut. Not likely, but I’m allowed to dream.
Things with my class are going really well. I’m so lucky to be blessed with such an amazing group of kids. I’m not saying that on the occasional day they don’t drive me crazy, because they absolutely do. But, in general, this is a really great bunch and I’m really lucky to have the class I do. The last few days, I’ve been noticing how much they have progressed. They are speaking a few complete sentences, quite a few spanglish sentences and they have lots of new words in their vocabulary. It’s incredible to me how much they’ve learned in just two months. I’m proud of them and not to toot my own horn, but I’m actually quite proud of myself too. It’s not an easy job trying to teach a full first grade curriculum to students that don’t speak the same language as you. In fact, for most of my students, two months ago was their first time being exposed to any English at all. They seem to be learning in leaps in bounds. It seems like I only have to act out, or tell them in Spanish once or twice and then it just clicks.
I love hearing them stringing new sentences together. Today I was putting out their tables for lunch and I heard one of my students yell to the others, “look, three tables!” I know that may not seem like anything big, but when that same student would barely say hi, or yes, just two months ago, to me, it’s huge. Of course, my favourite sentences to date are still “Miss your eyes are so ugly today” and my other new favourite, “My boogers are green today.” That’s right, I taught my kids the word boogers and now I get to hear it all of the time. Lucky me.
Speaking of progress, I’m making some myself. I know I write about it often on here, but I can’t help it. Learning Spanish is huge part of my experience here. I’m still in private lessons and I have no intention on ever going back to group lessons with the other teachers. I feel much more comfortable on my own. Just the teacher and I. I can stop and ask any questions I want, I don’t have the constant feeling of holding others back because I don’t know something or because I need more explanation. I’ve already decided that if the school wants me to go back to group lessons, which at some point they will, I’m just going to have to let them know that that won’t be possible. I’ll even pay for my own lessons if necessary. I’m hoping that maybe they will split the cost with me at least.
I’m not sure if she was just pulling a teacher move to make me feel confident with my abilities or not, but either way it worked. I know those tricks, so I try not to fall for them. Either way, she told me that I’ve really improved and I’m progressing quickly. We worked on conjugating irregular verbs, asking questions and describing people and inanimate objects today. I was happy to be working on sentence structure because for some reason I feel like I have hundreds of words floating around in my head but I get so tripped up when I’m trying to make sentences. Yet, I know I know how. I can do it just fine most of the time. But, if I get a little bit confused, that’s when it all starts shutting down and I go mute. Apparently she’s noticed this. She told me that I should stop trying to be perfect and just go with it instead. I agree with her. I would love to be able to do just that, but it’s like trying to change my whole personality. I don’t know why I’m like that, but I’m going to try my hardest to work on that. So from now on, my goal is that even if I feel like I’m making a mistake in my sentence structure, I will just keep going with it and not just go quiet. I have been practicing every day with my students, people in the neighbourhood, my friends from here and with the local teachers. I should be fluent in no time. Right?
I have some exciting news! Okay, maybe it’s only exciting for me, but that’s fine. Jaclyn and I have made our first purchase together. You see, there is a small kitchen at the school and the only thing they ever have there that is vegetarian are bean sandwiches. But these aren’t just any bean sandwiches. These ones are made in a sandwich maker. That’s right, things are pretty hi-tech around here.
I’ve been finding myself craving these bean sandwiches after school and I’ve tried just beans on bread, it doesn’t compare. So, I asked Jaclyn to go halves with me and luckily for me, she agreed. That same day we walked directly to Piaz (the upscale grocery store here) from school. We were on quite the mission. The sandwich maker was on sale and so after only 35 q’s each, we are now the proud owners of our very own sandwich press. Sure, we may not have TV, we may not have a couch, but we do have a hi-tech gadget on our counter and that’s what counts.
It actually quite amazing how many things you can make with one of those. So far we’ve tried quite a few combinations which include: Beans, beans and eggs, peanut butter, peanut butter and jam, sliced cheese, stringy cheese and beans and tomato sauce and cheese. I did buy one other ingredient especially for my new toy, but I just can’t bring myself to use it. I purchased a very expensive can of tuna in hopes of making a tuna melt sandwich. I will do it at some point, but I think it’s going to have to be a very special occasion. Until then, my beautiful, expensive can of tune will just sit waiting for me in my new cupboards.
That’s right. We also have cabinets now. Okay, possibly not cabinets in the actual sense of the word. But, there are wood shelves that look more like cubby holes above our sink. It’s like we have a real kitchen now. I’m sick of the kitchen getting everything. I want some work on the living room now. The two cushions just look sad in there all by themselves, no TV. Heck, no people.
The landlord finally installed the cupboards/cubby holes that we’ve been waiting for, for two months now. They kept telling us they were going to come and then they’d never show. Not surprising, this is Guatemala and things are done on a whole other schedule. I’m not quite sure where that schedule is posted or where I can get a hold of one, but I think I need one. It would make my life so much easier.
I just found out recently that our report cards at school are due next Wednesday. Sorry, not due, they are to be printed and sent home on Wednesday. I would love to start working on them, but they haven’t been made yet. In fact, the marking scheme hasn’t even been created yet. It’s in the works though. Just now. I have no idea how this kind of stuff happens, or even why, but luckily, I’m a laid back person and already quite adjusted to Central America Time. So, if all goes well, I’ll be sending home the first report cards of the year, in just one week. Now, just to figure out their marks according to the all new marking scheme. It should make for an interesting night. I say night because I’m betting that I don’t get these report cards until Tuesday after school. That’s Central America Time in a nutshell.
Not that I have any complaints about my school. I’m still really happy there and adore the rest of the staff. I love how cozy the school feels. It’s small and quaint and everyone is really there for you when you need them to be. Like last week for example. On Monday I woke up at two in the morning in complete agony. I knew something was wrong and it felt pretty serious. I didn’t want to call my manager at two a.m. to ask her where I could find a doctor. So, I laid in bed and patiently waited for what felt like forever and then some. Finally at five a.m., I just couldn’t handle any more and I called her. She didn’t know where the doctors were, but she did tell me where to find a free hospital. She also informed me that I shouldn’t walk there, not that I could, because it was too dangerous.
So, almost immediately I was in a taxi and headed to the free hospital. I don’t know if it was the pain or the fact that I was a tad scared, but I think I held my breath most of the way. The whole way I kept thinking about what a free hospital in Guatemala must look like. I pictured a place where sick people were lined up outside, coughing and hacking up a lung and many other images I’m sure you can also imagine. Once we pulled up though, it wasn’t anything like I had expected. Sure there was al line, but nothing quite as dramatic as it was in my head. After only a couple of hours waiting, I was in. The doctors were actually really nice and treated me well. I explained to them in my best Spanish possible at that time, what was wrong. Luckily, they spoke slowly enough for me to understand what was wrong with me. As it turns out, I had a kidney infection with a nice side of Parasitic Stomach Infection. Two things that I don’t think should ever go together. Not that you actually ever want either, but I really don’t recommend both at the same time.
After two days of not being in school, I went back for the third. That was a mistake. I was dead on my feet and had to leave part way through the day. But, if it hadn’t been for my Mom, I would’ve been out even longer. My Mom was a life saver and sent me money for my medication. I make pretty good money here, but there were other circumstances that made it impossible for me to buy my own meds. It could have something to do with the fact that that my pay was a week late.
The school didn’t tell us until mid way through the month that they were changing our pay days form the 1st of the month to the 5th. That may not seem like that much of a difference, but when you’re living off of $300 a month and you’ve only been paid once since your arrival, it’s a really, really big deal. Then to top it all off, the pay wasn’t even her eon the 5th. I finally got paid on the 6th. But not before I pretty much lost my marbles.
The 5th was a Friday and all I wanted to do was enjoy a beer, go outside and just have some sort of life. But, I didn’t get paid, so that wasn’t an option. I stood by the window and just glared at the people outside. I couldn’t help but glare, they were out having fun and I was stuck inside the house and it wasn’t even school night. My friends were out at the bar and my roommates were both house bound that night. Jaclyn was sick and Emily had to work the next day. I wanted to go to Tantra by myself, but then decided against it because I knew that walking home alone after the bar was not a good plan. I was stir crazy, but not straight up crazy.
So, I solved my problem the best way I knew how. I cut open my “No Butts About It Livingston Piggy Bank” and wrote myself an IOU for 42 q’s. I headed to the store on a mission and my pockets filled with change. I bought myself two beers and two single smokes. Yes, I know. I’m awful. I felt like I was left with no choice though. It was either buy two smokes or off myself. I brought my beers and singles back to the apartment and parked a seat right outside. I thought I got stared at a lot on the street, well that was before I was the lonely Gringa, sitting outside smoking and drinking. That apparently called for outright staring matches with strangers. Sure, I guess I was asking for it, sitting outside of the apartment drinking my Gallo and smoking, but I just couldn’t sit in the house any more. If I had a balcony that’s where I would have been. In fact, if I could’ve gone to the bar, I would’ve been there even before I would’ve been on the balcony. But, now I’m probably known by some people as the lonely drinking, smoking gringa girl, and that’s fine by me. I enjoyed it. As for the smoking, no worries. I haven’t started up again, nor do I intend to. I’m happy to be a non smoker and these last few months have been hard work, I don’t plan on going back. But if it’s a choice between jump out of the window for fun or smoke a cigarette, I’m sorry, I’m going to smoke.
I did end up going on the next night though. Obviously, I got paid. Emily went to Tantra. What else is new. Apparently we have even fewer choices now because Milenio, the bar with the guns and drug deals, got shut down because apparently they didn’t pay several light bills. Of course they wouldn’t get shut down for the guns, drugs or dealing, nope. Just keep paying the light bill and you’re all set.
Tantra was good, as usual. I had met a girl a few weeks ago, very briefly, who spoke English and said she was from Chicago. I knew she was friends with my friend Anthony, but it turns out she is Anthony’s sister in law, Debbie. Shem moved here four years ago with her family from Chicago and that’s why her English is perfect. She is super sweet and it turns out she was looking for a job so I told her she should stop by my school. I think she’d fit right in. She looks really young, but she’s 19 and like I said, really sweet.
She stopped by the school yesterday to come and watch my adult night class. I figured before she applied to work there she should probably see what she was getting herself into. She said she really enjoyed my class and so I brought her downstairs to meet my bosses. I had already mentioned Debbie to them and they seemed happy to possibly have an extra person around. She had an interview today and she had to make up a mock lesson plan and teach it to a couple people today. I don’t know how it went just yet, but I’m hoping it went well. I would love to have her around more and it would be a good job for her, as there’s not much else around really. So, we will see.
I’m happy to be making more friends here. It’s nice to have options and people to hang out with. Plus, I feel like I’m becoming a part of the community more, meeting locals and learning about their lives. Of course, even with all for the new people I’ve been meeting, I’m still hanging out with a few of the same people quite a bit. Anthony and Javi are around quite often and they’ve become really good friends of mine, or should I say ours.
Anthony speaks pretty fluent English, so if I get stuck, he’s quick to help me out. In fact, him and I have an arrangement. He only speaks to me in English and I only speak to him in Spanish. When we’re walking down the street, we get quite a few stares. I know how odd we look. He’s a Guatemalan speaking English to a foreigner who’s speaking Spanish. I don’t care how odd we look though, because it’s really working for us. So everyone can smile and stare all they want, we’re having fun with it.
The other day Anthony and I were walking through Central Parque and came across some weird show going on. There were two sad looking clowns, talking to people about god only knows what. I was trying to pay attention, but my eyes were stuck on the cotton candy people were selling. I think Anthony saw that I was less interested in the strange clowns and way more interested in the cotton candy, so he grabbed some for me. I must say, that was some seriously good cotton candy. I never would’ve expected to come to Cpban and find what is possibly the best cotton candy ever, but, it’s happened. Hopefully, they’re not always in the park from now on, or my waist line is in some serious trouble.
On the way home from our walk, Anthony and I were witnesses to something that has forever changed me. I’ve been damaged by quite a few things in my travels the last couple of years, but this one, is on a whole other level.
We’ve been having problems with a homeless guy lately. At least, we think he’s homeless. There is grat outside of our apartment door and he seems to have an avid affection for pooping on it, or in it, whatever. I have seen him a time or two, I usually just see what he leaves behind. But, unfortunately that wasn’t the case this time.
As Anthony and I rounded the corner to our my apartment, I saw him. The homeless guy, pants around his ankles, half bent over staring into the grate. I could tell her was obviously staring at “his business.” I only wish the story stopped there, but it doesn’t. As Anthony and I are getting closer, so close in fact that I can tell you his underwear were a nasty shade of maroon and skid marks were involved, the guy stopped staring into the grate. He turned around and in a flash there was explosive diareah coming out and splashing all over the grate and the sidewalk. It was like watching two girls one cup, but yet, so much worse because this was real and in person. Not to mention, right in front of my apartment building door. Anthony and I gagged and walked behind the guy, the last place I wanted to be, and ran into the building. I’ll have you know that every day I walk out the door, I can still see dried poop on the sidewalk and grate and it brings it all back. Never in my life would I have guessed that someday I would be living in Guatemala, watching some guy poop, or explode, in front of my apartment. Never.
I think it’s the gross things like this that have given Jaclyn and I an idea for our new career. We love tayuyous, licuados, sandwich makers and pretty much anything that you can find in the corner store. We’ve decided that instead of a pulparia (a store) we are going to open a pulpanopia. In case you’re wondering, that is pronounced pulpa-no-pee-a. Although in light of the recent homeless guy incident, maybe we can change that name to pulpa-no-poopa-please. Seriously, I don’t know how long it’s going to take to wipe that image form my mind, but I’m guessing I may be walking with a cane by then.
Other than our new career plan, the only other thing that’s on my mind is Semana Santa. I’ve got all of my lesson plans done until then, which took me forever. But, at least now I can relax a bit and patiently wait for it to get here. In just a couple of weeks, I will be seeing my brother and step dad. I can’t wait. Hopefully, I’ll get to go to El Salvador for a couple days during my vacation. If they won’t have me, I’ll just sleep outside their door. They’ll have to let me in. They are supposed to come here for a day to visit, since we’re so close. But, I don’t want to get my hopes up just in case. I really want my brother to see where I live, my apartment, my neighbourhood, my friends. I think it would be nice for someone form home to see my life right now. Nobody came to visit me last year, so hopefully this year will be different. If not, it’s going to be along, long year.
If they were coming in August they would get to go to the fair. That’s right. Apparently Coban has an annual fair with rides and all. I asked if the rides were actually safe. Somehow I doubt they are, but. I plan on going on them anyway. It’s no Wonderland, but I’ll take it!
Well, I guess that’s it for now. I’d love to write more, but I have to go and purchase a gun. If for some strange reason I can’t find a gun, I plan on buying a really nice sling shot. Someone thought it was a bright idea to turn on the street light outside my room. The light seems as though it pretty much touches my window and it’s on all night. It’s so bright that I don’t even need my bedroom light on, I can see perfectly. It’s driving me up the wall. It wasn’t on for the first month and half and then all of a sudden a week and a half ago, it just turned on. My room is lit up like a Christmas tree at night and I’m too hot to keep the blanket s over my head. When I was a kid I would’ve given anything for someone to put a street light right against my window, but not now. I guess that’s just another lesson in being careful what you wish for, because you never know when it will come true. In this case, this wish was only about 22-23 years late. Thanks for nothing.
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Tina
non-member comment
Again I loved your blog entry....can't seem to get enough of them. Only these things would happen to you Janet. As I am reading the part about the homeless fella that is exploding diarrhea at your grate all I can think of is the retching sounds coming from you. Did you lose your cookies that day? Honestly don't think I can believe you if you say you did not hurl. Too funny....again through your writing I feel that we are there with you. Keep up the awesome journals. Thanks