5. What Stoplight?
Somedays, crossing the street seems like you're in that old arcade game "Frog Crossing." The cars don't stop. So be prepared to run, and above all else, use caution! Also in this category, I suppose, falls one of the (many) taxi stories. This time, we made a side trip to the gas station reaching our final destination. Now, being one of those paranoid people who reads all the signs posted at each and every gas station in the states, imagine the shock and terror I felt when the first and foremost rule was not followed: the driver didn't turn off the car. So as we sat there getting gas, with the car running and the stereo blaring, I kept one hand on the door, ready to bolt at the first sign of a possible explosion. But then a funny thing happened: we didn't explode. Huh.
4. It Looks Like Rain…Every Day.
Yes, this makes it very difficult to have any clean dry laundry, and yes, we have gotten very good at guessing how long we can leave our clothes outside on the line, before they are caught in a sudden torrential downpour. It can also be very wet and uncomfortable if caught outside for long in it, but the rain here comes down in such a majestic, powerful force I have never seen before. Standing under the pila roof, watching the rain plummet down so quickly it seems like a mist covers all surfaces, I'm awestruck. Every Time.
3. Speaking of the Pila…
Ah, the Pila. What a wonderful, muli-use device. Whether being used to wash clothes on the left side, where the hard ridges are, or to do the dishes when the power goes out on the right, the pila is a must for any Guatemalan household. The most common setup involves three parts, two of which I described above. The third middle portion MUST contain water AT ALL TIMES, lest the electricity go out, and there be no water. That in itself is a good enough reason for a pila. Sadly, Amazon doesn't sell them.
2. Mmmm rice and beans
Not really much of a shock, I suppose, since this I at least expected. After the first week, rice and beans become taxing, and after three weeks, you start to dread the words "dinner is ready," but after that, you start to like it. Not jump for joy or anything crazy, but it's good. In fact, eventually, you start to have conversations about it, like "hmm these beans taste different than the ones before," or "I wonder what will happen when I add hot sauce to my rice…" Soon, I know, we'll all be connoisseurs of rice, beans, and flour tortillas.
1. La Lingua
Sé que esto va a ser todo malo porque yo sólo lo estoyescribiendo hasta el traductor Google y cortar copiar pegar, pero espero que cualquiera que se tome el tiempo para Traducir la o un palo de vuelta en una máquina de traducción se encuentra este … interesante … por decir lo menos. El idioma es siempre una lucha, porque es mucho más fácil simplemente nuestra zonay "hacer su propia cosa", pero sé que nunca voy a aprender español de esa manera. La otra noche, estábamos en unaiglesia donde el pastor habló un poco de Inglés (en realidad, él hablaba un poco de ella, y así realmente). Una de las cosas que dijo, en particular, pegado a mí, en relación con el lenguaje. Dijo que "cada vez que habla en Inglés, me siento un poco enfermo".Y mientras que puede ser percibida como extraña al principio,entiendo perfectamente. Debido a que las personas que oyenhablar en español todo el tiempo a mi alrededor, y luego me mira y me arrojan a algunos más español que sólo coger unpoco fuera, me empiezo a sentir mi estómago mover de un tirón,y mi cara no el "ciervo en las linternas" Freak Out momento. Sin embargo, todos los días, hay una nueva palabra que entiendo, y aunque solo me dan una palabra al día, incluso si sólo aprenderuna hundered y dos nuevas palabras en español, voy a saber más. Y aquí, estoy completamente dispuesto a aprender más.
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